Voyansi Voices Blog

Posts about:

Reality Capture

Making the Case for Digital Twins

The digital transformation rests in the implementation of cutting-edge technology. In the architecture, building, and engineering industries, digital twins are the representation of innovation and will to make the most out of the technology available.

We live in the information age. More than ever, the amount of data we handle in our daily operations is immense and only continues to grow. Think about it, while working “analogically” there’s so much information scattered all over different platforms that often lead to confusion and, consequently, to rescheduling and reworking.

So, what if all the information needed for the construction process could be stored in a single place? That’s what digital twins are all about, and they have a positive impact on the optimization of productivity and quality.

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Introducing Voyansi HBIM Services

You probably saw the news a year or so ago. Notre Dame going up in flames. When I got the notification on my phone, I felt it couldn’t be that bad: fires happen all the time, and in a large city with plenty of infrastructures, it would be easy for the fire department to put the blaze out. I guess there is a reason that I don’t play the lottery, I’m not very good at predicting the future. If you want to skip the wordplay of our blog today, feel free to check out our services page for our latest offering: HBIM Solutions.

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Have you considered just scanning it?

I saw a post on a forum the other day of an architect who sent a marked-up drawing as part of a CAD to BIM project. It was a relatively small structure that was being modeled. Maybe 1500 square feet. This got me thinking, why did they not just bother to go out and scan the structure? Laser scanning 10 years ago may have seemed exotic. Today it’s commonplace enough that I have a small lidar scanner in my phone. I use it to measure things in my house or create simple 3d models. 

Maybe the architect in question was simply unfamiliar with reality capture technology, so I decided to write this post explaining the concept for those new to this way of working. Before you jump in, it’s essential to understand two key concepts: Point Clouds and Survey Points are central to working with BIM (no wonder why reality capture services are so important to us). If you are just getting familiar with reality capture technology this is an essential concept to understand. 

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Hololens for harsh environments

Let's start with a quick exercise: think about a workplace that represents multiple challenges. Darkness, a small space, a dangerous/irregular terrain, or even a lack of communication with the outside world. All of these places are often the main obstacles we have to face at the time of working on specific projects.

Now let's create a solution. Of course, the best alternative would be to work in that space minimizing the risks and optimizing the use of resources. This way, the project could be carried on while drastically reducing the risks both for the employees and the equipment. How can you achieve this? Hololens and reality capture technology.

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Transcending The Limits Between Architecture and Functionality: enter The Oculus

Santiago Calatrava, the architect in charge of designing the World Trade Center station’s entrance had an immense job requiring expertise and creativity. One bad decision could make everything go south. After a lot of thought, he came up with his final design for the project. He sought to design a structure that resembled a bird taking flight from a children’s hand. The end result: A unique and imposing structure that captures every pedestrian’s gaze: The Oculus.

You might have seen it in films, tv shows and many architecture-related websites and social media accounts. If you are lucky, you might have the opportunity to visit it in person just like we did during our BIM World Tour after grabbing a bite at the Chelsea Market.

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1943 Ford GPW

Reality Capture in your pocket?

In 1991, this advertisement appeared in print newspapers across the United States. This commercial for Radio Shack which ran in syndicated newspapers illustrates a variety of consumer electronic devices, headlined by a personal desktop computer for $1599 USD (approximately $3000 in 2020). Beyond the eye-watering price of the PC, one interesting thing to note is that every single one of the devices featured in this ad has functionally been replaced by almost any smartphone available today.

This had us wondering: how far away are we from true Reality Capture technology in your pocket? To answer the question, we created a very basic test: Could our non-technical team achieve good results with off-the-shelf tools anyone could use?  

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Case Study Barrio 31: A Measurement Case Study - Part 2

Recap: This post is the 2nd installation of our series of blog posts covering the Barrio 31 Project. Villa 31, one of the largest poverty-stricken neighborhoods in Argentina is undergoing a massive renewal into an official city neighborhood: "Barrio 31". Key project challenges include a lack of as-built documentation; the scope and size of measurements needed; a short project timeline; and the need for quality and consistency of data during hand-off.

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